Pictured: The Rainbow Relay is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Photo courtesy of Seaward CrossFit.

It’s June and that means the local LGBTQ+ community is out and proud in celebration of Pride all month long.

At Seaward CrossFit in the Rosemary District, inclusiveness is a key value. The owners, staff and clients believe that everyone deserves to flourish in a safe space without judgment or fear. On June 24th, the gym will proudly host their 2nd annual Rainbow Relay fundraising event for the local LGBTQ+ community at their new location on North Lemon Avenue in downtown Sarasota. The event will include six scavenger hunt/fitness challenges and prizes for best dressed/costume team. And best of all, 100% of profits and donations raised from this event will be donated to ALSO Youth, a nonprofit charity that provides peer support services, educational programs, advocacy, and referrals for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and questioning youth ages 13 to 24, their families and friends, and the community.

According to the gym's owner/coach, Olivia Hardwick, the Rainbow Relay is a mixture of fitness and art appreciation. At the start of the event, challenges will be handed to each team in a sealed envelope. The teams will then leave the gym to scavenger for a local mural (located in the Rosemary District) and complete a fitness challenge at Seaward CrossFit where there will be fitness stations that can include riding on a stationary bike and completing push-ups or pull-ups. All fitness levels are welcomed to join as there will be scaled movements for all abilities.

Bobby Alford, a participant in the first annual Rainbow Relay and part of the Team Unicorn Squad called the event “amazingly fun and exhausting” adding that the kids loved it. “Great cause, great allies, great fun,” he said.

Registration for the Rainbow Relay opens at 7:30 am on the morning of the event with a start time of 8:00 am. The cost is $45 per person and there is a maximum of three people per team.

Seaward CrossFit, 423 N Lemon Ave, Sarasota, 941-867-0808.

Pictured: The Rainbow Relay is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Photo courtesy of Seaward CrossFit.

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